The Scarves
by WritingRowlet
Summary: Dawn, Barry, and Lucas haven't always had their scarves, obviously. But what is the reason they all three have them? Could they all be connected in a way none of them realized? And what's that have to do with a Staravia?
1. Dawn and Barry

Dawn knew it was very cold when she went to bed. She knew the possibility for snow was great, especially considering the high-levels of snow that Sinnoh received yearly. What she didn't know was that her best friend, Barry, would be hovering over her face when she woke up.

The blond boy sat on Dawn's legs and leaned just inches away from her face. As her eyes began to open, he drew closer so that when Dawn opened her eyes completely, it was because they were touching noses.

"Barry!" Dawn screamed. She bolted upright and knocked foreheads with the boy in the process. "What're you doing?!" she yelled in distress.

Barry covered her mouth with his hand and shooshed her, "It snooooowed," he whispered. He crawled off the pink quilt and started pulling clothes out of Dawn's dresser. He tossed a snover sweater at her as well as a pair of jeans and fuzzy socks.

"What's going on?" Dawn asked. Barry ran over and slapped a hand over her mouth as he shooshed her again.

"Snoooow…" he whispered again. He spun around and crossed his arms, "Get dressed!"

Dawn looked from her best friend and the outfit he picked out, deciding whatever he was doing couldn't possibly be that bad. She changed into the clothes quickly and muttered an "OK" once she was ready. Barry took her hand and dragged Dawn down the stairs to the front door. Dawn finally took a look out the window and saw that it was still pitch-black outside. "Barry!" she hissed, "It's still dark! What time is it?"

"About 6 o'clock in the morning…!" he replied. Barry threw open the closet and reached for what he knew was Dawn's jacket and her boots. The pastel purple jacket was wool, so it would still be warm despite the time of…morning.

"Why do you wanna go outside this early?!" Dawn fussed, putting the jacket on regardless. Barry grabbed his own burnt-orange jacket off the back of a chair and pulled it on as well as his boots. "How did you get in here?"

"Your momma didn't lock the door…" Barry answered with the biggest smile on his pudgy face. "Let's go, I gotta show you something!" Barry took Dawn's mitten-covered hand just as she finished pulling on her boots and ran out the door.

Outside, the streetlamps were glowing in the falling snow. The already white covered ground crunched under their boots, though it was barely heard over the howling wind. Dawn pulled her collar closer to her neck and tucked her hair down the back of the jacket. "It's freezing!" she fussed now loudly. "What are we doing out here?!"

"C'mon! Follow me or I'm fining you 10,000 Poke!" Barry ran ahead toward the lake. Dawn groaned but ran after him, hoping to convince her friend to go back home and get back into bed.

They came up to a bunch of trees and slowed down. Dawn looked around with her arms crossed, puffing her cheeks in annoyance, "So?!"

Barry shooshed her and looked around. "Ah-ha!" he shouted when he looked in a bush. Dawn peered over it as well and gasped at what she saw. A staravia was sat with two starly in a little nest surrounded with tiny colorful boxes. Dawn looked to Barry in surprise and he read her expression, "Well, I found them a few days ago and brought them a bunch a food but then they brought a bunch of little boxes and I opened some of them and they had presents in them!" Barry explained, "I wanted to show you!"

"…You couldn't have waited until AFTER it snowed?!" Dawn fussed. She had to fight to keep her teeth from chattering. Barry laughed awkwardly and scratched the back of his head.

He would have responded had Staravia not interjected. "Star!" she called before shoving two boxes the children's way. Dawn and Barry took the gifts and opened them at the pokemon's insistence. Inside either box was a scarf. The one in Dawn's box was long and white and so, so soft to the touch. Barry's scarf was forest green and about ¾ the length of Dawn's, though still just as soft.

"They're so pretty!" Dawn cooed. Staravia beamed at the child and chirped for them both to put the scarves on. Dawn wrapped hers around her neck evenly so that the ends hung over her front. Barry didn't quite know how to wear the scarf, so Dawn helped him. She wrapped it around his neck so one end was hidden under the longer side. "Thank you, Staravia!" Dawn said, petting the pokemon on the head.

"Yeah, thanks!" Barry grinned and scratched the bird under the beak. They stood back up straight and Barry dropped down some candy in a paper bowl to leave for the three pokemon as he had been doing every morning around this same time. "We should probably go home 'fore our mommies wake up…"

"Yeah, let's go," Dawn smiled and took Barry's hand. As they walked, she turned to wave to the three birds. Barry did the same and then took off running, dragging Dawn behind him.

As Dawn pushed open the front door to her house, her mother cried out. "Dawn! Oh, dear, thank Arceus you're OK!" Johanna collapsed to the floor and scooped her daughter into her arms. "Where were you? I was worried sick!"

"I'm sorry, Mommy…" Dawn apologized in a small voice. "Me and Barry were in the snow…"

Her mother released her and held Dawn at arm's length, "Honey, it's freezing out there, why on earth were you two out so early?"

"Pokemon!" Dawn answered. "Barry's been taking care of some pokemon near the lake and he showed them to me!" Her mother sighed and got to her feet.

"Well, next time you two decide to go off somewhere, please, for the love of Mew, tell me!" she fussed. Johanna wen to the kitchen to start fixing breakfast. "Do you want some waffles, sweetie?"

"Yeah, waffles!" Dawn giggled, hopping through the living room as she tried to take off her boots and jacket. Dawn decided to leave on her scarf, though, as she found it to be so warm and soft. Dawn hopped up on the counter beside her mom to help fix the waffles.

"Where'd you get the scarf, Dawn?" Johanna asked.

"Oh!" Dawn grinned, "Staravia gave it to me!"

"Staravia?" her mother giggled, "That Barry's fueling your imagination, isn't he?"

"No! It really was a staravia!" Dawn fussed. "And Barry's got a green one!" Her mother ruffled her hair and had Dawn help her pout the batter into the waffle iron, but the origin of the scarves was never question ever again. They just became a part of Dawn and Barry's looks, and it was all thanks to that sweet staravia.

 **So, I've always wanted to think of a reason that these characters always wear scarves, even when there's no snow or (as far as we knew) cold weather. I'm probably going to do a part two with Lucas, and maybe a part three with all three of them because OT3**

 **Review and tell me what you thought!**


	2. Lucas

Little Lucas was, to say the least, obsessed with pokemon. His parents didn't quite understand this infatuation since neither of them had ever been trainers, but they decided to allow Lucas to start helping the Professor as an apprentice over the winter break. Professor Rowan put Lucas on feeding duty so he could become more familiar with the pokemon at the lab, which excited the little boy. He cared for the starter pokemon and a trio of budew. There was also a group of bidoof and a lone shinx that started to follow Lucas around everywhere he went.

One day, Rowan allowed Lucas to take the shinx out for some exercise. Lucas excitedly grabbed his coat from the rack and yanked his beret down on his head. Shinx happily jumped around the eight-year-old and pawed at his shoes. They ran outside to the right toward Verity Lake, avoiding the tall grass as best as they could. Near the lake, Lucas decided to practice Shinx's moves.

"OK, Shinx…Scratch!" Lucas called. Shinx slashed at the air and the boy praised him. "How about…Crunch!" Lucas giggled as Shinx bit at the air as hard as he could. "…Discharge!"

Shinx let loose a flare of electricity from his body toward a bush near him. A staravia flew out of the bush with a cry. Staravia spotted Shinx and attacked with Brave Bird.

"Shinx!" Lucas yelled as his friend was knocked back. Shinx attached the bird with discharge again which knocked the bird onto the ground, paralyzed. "Oh no!" Lucas ran over and crashed down beside the bird pokemon, "I'm so sorry, Staravia!" Lucas kept apologizing as he heaved the pokemon into his arms. "C'mon, Shinx, we've gotta get to the professor!"

Lucas and Shinx ran back toward Sandgem. They threw open the door as Lucas cried that he needed Professor Rowan immediately. Rowan came in and saw the boy's panicked face, "Professor, Staravia needs help bad!"

"Now, now, calm down Lucas. Let me see her…" Rowan took Staravia and sprayed a paralyze heal on her once he noticed what was wrong exactly. "There, she'll be just fine."

Lucas beamed as Staravia started to come to. "You're OK!" he giggled. Rowan put the bird on Lucas's arm and pat his head.

"You need to take her outside and release her, Lucas," the professor explained. Lucas nodded and went back outside with Shinx.

"OK, Staravia, you're free to go, now," Lucas said and held up his arm. "Sorry again." Shinx mewled at the bird pokemon and licked Lucas' hand. Staravia called at the pair and flew into the air. She took off toward the lake again as Lucas waved goodbye.

Later that evening as Lucas was walking home, he heard a pokemon call behind him. When he turned around he was met with Staravia's face mere inches from his head. "Ah! Staravia!" he screamed, stumbling back.

"Star!" the pokemon cried, dropping a box at the boy's feet.

"Huh?" Lucas stooped down and picked up the box. It was mint colored and had a shiny white ribbon on the top. "What's this?" he asked. Staravia nudged his hand and urged the boy to open the box. Inside was a red scarf that was almost as long as Lucas. It was very soft and warm but he couldn't help but wonder where it came from.

"Star!" Staravia fussed as she grew impatient. She grabbed one end of the scarf and tossed it around his shoulders.

"Where'd you get this, Staravia?" Lucas asked.

"Ravia!" the pokemon cooed, pecking at the boy's head before flying up higher.

"Well, thanks, anyway!" Lucas laughed. He waved as Staravia flew away again. Lucas smiled and picked up the box from where he'd dropped it in the snow. He trudged home and recounted his adventure of the day to his family, not forgetting to talk about how he'd gotten his new scarf.

As time went on, the scarf became a part of Lucas. He never went anywhere without it and never forgot about Staravia. Lucas just couldn't help but wonder where she'd gotten the gift. Maybe one day, he'd find her and figure out the little mystery.

 **There we go! My precious little Lucas now has his scarf! And the next (and final) part will deal with where, exactly, Staravia gets her seemingly endless supply of scarves. Maybe you guys can take a guess?**

 **Review and tell me what you thought!**


	3. Staraptor

"Mom, you need to stop making such a fuss over a pokemon you see at random," a man named Brook fussed one afternoon. He was checking on his mother after a ranger had told him she was staring out at the sea again.

"Son, you say this as if you don't miss her as well. I know you and that dear Staraptor are very close," the old lady said. She put down her knitting needles and placed her newest project in the basket at her side. "And I don't want to be unprepared when she comes back."

"This Staraptor is consuming you, though!" Brook fussed, "If you want a pokemon friend, then I'm sure that a ranger would be more than happy to get you one. Maybe an oddish or cherubi!"

"No, no…" Brook's mother shrugged off her son's offer, "My Staraptor is special, and I will always be here for her. Now, please let me finish my knitting. It's getting cold outside and I want Staraptor to be warm."

"I guess I can't stop you…" Brook mumbled. He kissed his mother's cheek and said good bye to go back to working at the Pueltown Bridge.

* * *

Dawn stretched as the boat began to dock. Her Empoleon nuzzled her side and asked for a scratch, which was gladly given. "I can't believe we're finally in Almia!" she squealed.

"Yeah, but just remember we're here for research, not to goof off and go shopping, Dawn!" Lucas teased, tugging on her beanie.

Dawn huffed and stood from her seat, accepting the hand that Barry offered to help her off the boat. "Says the boy who'd rather go gaming than work on his pokedex…" she commented and crossed her arms. Empoleon copied, which made Barry laugh.

"Oh, c'mon you two! Let's get to the Pokémon Center! Last one there's gettin' fined 10,000 Poke!" Barry called, taking off running away from his two best friends.

Dawn and Lucas shared a look and rolled their eyes, "How long you think it'll take him to realize there's no Pokémon Center?" Lucas asked as they began to walk.

"I give him three days if we don't tell him…" Dawn answered, snickering.

The trio settled on camping by the river just outside of Pueltown. There was no hotel for them to stay at, but it wasn't like they minded camping. Dawn and Barry pitched the tent while Lucas started cooking the food. All their pokemon were out of their balls and relaxing after the long boat ride. Dawn's froslass was busy fussing over everyone and making sure that Barry's lucario didn't hurt any of the wild floatzel when it practice Bone Rush.

"Luxray, do you really need to dig such a big hole?" Lucas snickered as his partner managed to make a luxray-sized hole to curl up in. The pokemon huffed and turned to face the other way.

"I think that's a yes," Barry laughed. "Is the food ready yet, Beret?"

"Yeah, no thanks to you," Lucas teased. Barry tilted the hat on the other boy's head down over his eyes. "Just get some food you dork." Lucas laughed.

"Ooh, it looks amazing Lucas!" Dawn cooed. They all three got bowls of the supper for themselves and dished out scraps and pokemon food to their teams. "Let's dig in!" Dawn giggled, diving into her food at the same time as her pokemon. Barry and Lucas started in as well, trying not to laugh at the excited girl in front of them. Halfway through the meal, the pokemon started to act strange.

"What's wrong with you, Torterra?" Lucas asked as the grass type got up and looked around hastily.

"Chatot? You alright there, bud?" Barry asked the bird perched on his shoulder. Chatot took off into the air and scanned around before squalling and diving back down to Barry to peck at his head.

"What's wrong with all of you?" Dawn asked her team when her Espeon started to dig around, which she never would do usually.

Suddenly, a large Staraptor flew overhead. The pokemon cawed loudly and dove down to the river, skimming the top before swooping back into the air. The three trainers all sunk closer to the ground as Barry's lucario hopped to its feet and shot out an aura sphere at the bird. "Sta _RAPTOR_!" the pokemon called as it dodged the attack. Then, almost as quickly as it had gotten mad, Staraptor calmed down.

She saw the looks on the trainer's faces and stopped in her tracks. "Star?" the pokemon called, cocking her head to the side. "Rap?"

"Is it just me, or is that Staraptor kinda familiar?" Barry asked, slowly getting to his feet. Staraptor flew closer and examined the three children. She grabbed onto the end of Barry's scarf and gave it a tug.

"Raptor!" Staraptor called happily. She flew around in a circle, pecking at all three of their heads. She perched herself on Lucas's shoulder and nibbled at the end of his scarf.

"Wait…!" Dawn gasped, "You're the same Staravia that gave me and Barry our scarves, aren't you?!" Staraptor nodded and cooed at the other pokemon around her.

"You guys got yours from a Staravia, too?" Lucas asked. "And it was this one?" Dawn and Barry nodded as Staraptor lifted off his shoulder.

"I guess that's another connection we all have!" Barry laughed.

"Did you ever find out where she got the scarves…?" Lucas asked hopefully. Dawn and Barry shook their heads, explaining the situation they'd been in when they saw Staraptor. They all three turned to the bird who was busy preening her feathers. "Staraptor?" Lucas asked to get her attention. "Where did you get our scar-"

"There you are you silly pokemon!" an elderly woman cooed. Dawn, Barry, and Lucas all three looked up to see the lady slowly make her way to Staraptor and scratch her chin. "And it seems you've made new friends."

"Ma'am, you know Staraptor?" Dawn asked.

"Of course! I've been caring for her since she was just a Starly!"

"So, how did she get to the lake if she lives here?" Barry asked, leaning back on his arms and letting his munchlax sit in his lap.

"Oh, no. She doesn't live with me, she only visits." The old lady explained. "I've given her gifts and food and a warm place to stay, though. I guess Staraptor may consider this home…"

"Gifts? Like what?" Lucas asked.

The lady paused and looked at each child, "Well scarves like the ones you each have, for starters!" she laughed. "How strange, I've never seen ones that looked so similar to mine! Come now, Staraptor, say good bye to the children."

As she left, all three of them looked back to each other. "So, that's where she got them…" Lucas sighed in relief. It'd been eating him up for years, and now he knew.

Barry scoffed, "And here I thought Staraptor had made them herself…" he mumbled and put his arms behind his head.

"You did not think that!" Dawn laughed. She stood and hugged the blond who continued to pout. Lucas scooted over to join in the hugging session, laughing at Barry's puffed face and squinted eyes.

"Does it make them less special knowing they came from an old lady you've never met?" Lucas asked as he tugged on the green cloth around Barry's neck. Barry mumbled a 'no' and leaned against Dawn who'd crouched down beside him. "Didn't think so," Lucas snickered. They all three got ready for bed since the next day they had a meeting with Professor Hastings about exploring Almia. There was no need in Dawn and Lucas staying up late to comfort their very imaginative Barry.

 **It's a tie-in with Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia! Brook's mother always made me sad since she was alone most of the time. So, what better way to make her feel better than a Staraptor that visited just to give her some company. It's a very strange connection, but that's what I thought sounded good and so I went with it!**

 **Review and Favorite if you enjoyed!**


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